World War II veteran from Advance hesitates to tell story - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

World War II veteran from Advance hesitates to tell story

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Christy Millweard - bio | email
Ivan "Blue" Woodfin says he likes talking to fellow war veterans. Ivan "Blue" Woodfin says he likes talking to fellow war veterans.
Woodfin served in the Navy for four years during WWII. Woodfin served in the Navy for four years during WWII.
Ivan and his wife, Gavada, have been married for 65 years. Ivan and his wife, Gavada, have been married for 65 years.

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ADVANCE, MO (KFVS) -

Ivan Woodfin is just one of many World War II veterans who has said he's hesitant to tell a story of their time in service.

Woodfin said it's not something they like to talk about because it makes them relive those memories.

"I just don't want to go back and relive what I had to do," said Woodfin.

Now, his life in Advance is pretty peaceful.

"Played golf all day," said Woodfin.

But the emotion still comes when he talks about his time in World War II.

When asked how often he talks about it, he said, "not very often."

Woodfin said he served in the Navy for four years. He said he worked on a mine sweeper near Normandy for two and a half years, and said 15 days after arriving home, he was called up again to go to the Pacific off the coast of Japan.

"I wasn't scared of nothing then, and look back over the time, well why, I should have been scared," said Woodfin.

Now he looks at the stories of his life, and enjoys talking about those, like his marriage of 65 years, or winning basketball state championships for Zalma High School in 1939.

But the war stories, aren't on his list of stories to tell.

"It's not one thing that you just want to talk to everybody about," said Woodfin.

Woodfin said he does like talking to fellow war veterans.

"I can sit down with somebody who was over there when I was there, and we can compare stories," said Woodfin.

Woodfin said he thinks it's important to share the stories with future generations.

"They have no idea about World War II," said Woodfin.

Now, you can see Woodfin's stars and stripes in his home, and as he said, in his heart.

"I think it's important that we stand up for our country, whatever it takes, if its war, we got to go, I'm 88-years-old, I'd go back if I had to, I really would," said Woodfin.

Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.